Phone interview advice -betting shop?

Claire_Bear

Hi all, I have a phone interview booked for Thursday afternoon with a betting shop. I've never done a phone interview before so am looking for some tips/advice, will they ask the same sort of questions as they would ask in a face-to-face interview? Also if anyone else works for a betting shop then what sort of questions were you asked in your interview?

TIA for any replies

paddyrg

They probably just want to check you're intelligent and articulate, and have an idea of whether 7/2 or 2/1 is the better odds.

Annisele

I've never worked for a bookmakers directly, but I used to work for a company that owned a bundle of them.

One of the questions we used to ask was "have you ever been inside a bookmakers" - it was astonishing how many people answered "no" and then followed up by explaining their moral objection to betting! (We didn't recruit through agencies, and I'm certain that every one of them knew in advance what the job was about).

I assume you have been inside a bookmakers before, but if you haven't, visit one and have a think about how you'd fit in there - that'll make your life easier should you happen to run into my old boss!

Outpost

Don't worry about knowing about odds or horses, most betting shop staff don't know one end of a horse from the other before their inductions and have no interest in racing. I don't and neither do many of my colleagues, it's just a job.

Focus on customer service and drive home the fact that you're good with people and delivering a high standard of service even when in a busy environment. Obviously experience of handling cash and serving customers would be an advantage, but if not try to make them aware that you are numerate and trustworthy. The tills in the big bookies are all basically computers that you enter bet details into, they do all the working out of odds and returns so there is no real need for you to know anything about odds for the moment. That will come with time after you've started work and progress through the training.

Just to reiterate make sure you drive home the customer service angle. Also shops are open until around half past nine in the night so make them aware that this isn't a problem for you.

Any other questions you have I'd be happy to try and answer them for you.

Aweet

Some good tips here

happygilmore99

I would go onto the betting shop website and have a general look around, see if there is "about us" part and get around 4 or 5 facts about the company and who their competitors are, most interviews they will normally ask what you know about the company, also some questions they may ask, tell me a time when you have provided great customers service or when you have dealt with a difficult customer and how you overcame that.

I'm sure you will be fine, make some notes for your telephone interview so you can refer to them if you become a little tongue tied, it happens to everyone at some point in all telephone interviews!

Good Luck